TRUE STORIES

RED ROSE

I couldn't tell anyone about the rose. I wish I could tell. But this was...unexplainable. Who could have come into my room? I always locked it whenever I leave home. No one entered my room for all I know. The windows were also shut tight.

Could it be the one Ari mentioned?

'Him?'

Who was it though?

I have been careful and observing my surroundings trying to find out who the stalker is. I just called him the stalker. Obviously whoever this person was.

He was watching me.

I was being partly paranoid. However, I just can't forget about the rose. I don't know why I had even put it in a vase with cold water. I swear I was afraid and wanted to throw it away. But once I really begin to think that, an inner voice was telling me not to. There was this unknown fear. For whatever reason I was fearful of what might happen if I throw the rose away.

So I kept it.

Terence had seen it once, and surprisingly he didn't ask me anything. He usually would nose around asking me anything out of habit but he hadn't. Which left me more vulnerable to the situation. Until Travis saw the rose.

'Hey... a rose?' he stared at the rose 'who gave it to you?' he smirked then 'don't tell me...'

'It's not what you think it is' I acted casual.

'I bought it to decorate my room. Look at those lavenders. They are still so beautiful' I pointed at the lavender I bought. I bought the bunch because it was suspicious to suddenly have a rose in my very dull room with no colors at all. There were all books and papers everywhere.

'Never knew you were in to flowers' he sat down beside me.

'Me too. Actually I thought it would be nice. Maybe I can be revived from the stress' I was being extra careful not to spit out the truth. Damn it! I want to tell. But I just...

'It's a good thing' he agreed 'hey umm...' he looked back and stood up to go and close the room door. Then he came back again to take a seat, turning my movable chair facing me to him.

'Is this a serious conversation? Between us only?' I asked quietly like.

He nodded 'it's about Terence' he paused for a moment and sighed 'he knows something. I mean... yesterday, we were both alone when he asked me...' he stared at me.

'What? What did he ask?' I was curious.

'Don't let this get to you okay? I just... don't know. I don't want you to get stressed' he stammered halfway trying to sound casual but the worry in his voice was frightening me.

'Travis...what is it?' I asked.

'Terence asked if anything weird was happening to you' Travis said.

I frowned a little but he continued 'I was at first casual and said yeah you were fine. But then he asked me for the second time. And I knew something was up. He didn't tell me why he asked. He just shrugged and left'

'Everything is okay on my side' I said innocently 'what kind of weird things?'

'Have you like... felt something weird? Mood swings... as if...' I saw him gulp 'as if something is near you?'

I gasped and shivered. I haven't acknowledged that. He suddenly held my hands 'hey don't get alarmed. Don't get frightened. We are all here for you'

'To be honest' I began 'I'm fine. No mood swings or anything like that. But I'm stressed yeah. Because of school work. And Travis, do you mean if there is like a ghost following me?' I let out a low throaty laugh 'don't say it like that. It's frightening to think....'